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PowerBook G4 12" and 2gb...IT WORKS!!!

rj-300zx

rj-300zx

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 2, 2009
112
0
So I posted a thread about this a week or so ago. So me and my buddy Matt were discussing and he finally ordered the 2gb stick off Amazon. Let the pictures speak for themselves.

photo1kta.jpg


picture2.jpg


Theres an odd thing where it displays 1gb at the bottom but 2gb at the top in system profiler. But activity monitor confirmed the 2gb does in fact work.

EDIT: Added the activity monitor. Wala. 2gb in a PB12"
 
That's cool, but you should confirm its working by "using" it. Overtax your computer with photoshop crap or something, and see what your mem info says its using.

Your system may just be saying that it sees it as 2 GBs, but will/can only use 1 GB
 
kryptonianjorel said:
That's cool, but you should confirm its working by "using" it. Overtax your computer with photoshop crap or something, and see what your mem info says its using.

Your system may just be saying that it sees it as 2 GBs, but will/can only use 1 GB
Click to expand...

Added new pictures. A little blurry but they provide authenticity, and the activity monitor pic proves it works.
 
Uploaded a pic of activity monitor.

There we go, 2gb in a PBG4 12". What a wonderful day.
 
Am I seeing this right? I see 5.59 GB under VM size in activity monitor.

I know that the powerbook 12" can only go up to 1.25GB so I'm guessing it would show up as 2.25GB but only being able to really address 1.25GB out of the 2.25GB.
 
Not to be a stickler, but its only using ~500 MB. ~1700 MB or so is free. Sorry, i'm just skeptical of this actually working
Actually, even then, the system could be using the VM and not anything past the 1.25 GB.

Again, I'm sorry, I've just never heard of this before
 
He says he has gotten it to use 1.93gb by opening nearly every application on his hard drive. Granted the heaviest thing he uses is Photoshop so I gather if you were doing something in say, FinalCut, or do games, you could easily get it up there. He ordered the last stick on Amazon, but he says he will give it to me sooner or later to test it out. I'd be able to confirm or disprove anything he says in a month or so. I guess we will see.
 
Does This Really Work? Please Help!

Hey there, was this a serious post, or just a joke. I would love 2.25GB in my powerbook 12''. What chip nneds to be purchased to make it work? The chip out of my HP 2510p which is 2GB Sodimm PC5300 does not fit, the grooves do not line up. Your help would be appreciated. Regards Chris.
 
Hey this was me on a different account. I can confirm it worked. However, I could only ever get it to address 1.7gb of it for whatever reason. Most of the time, I saw the used get to 1.69 then wouldn't go above that.

-Ryan

Edit: There was also no real speed increase that was noteworthy.
 
Which RAM chip

Hi PowerGamerX,
Thanks for your reply. Which RAM chip do I need to buy to test it out for myself? Can you provide a link or specs to the product. Like I said not all Sodimms fit the slot. Thank you. Chris
 
You there PowerX?

Still waiting on a reply as to which 2gb RAM stick to buy. I have tried 3 different ones now and they all have not fitted. Your response would be greatly appreciated. I am happy to get even 500k more RAM out of the machine. Cheers

EDIT: Yep those sticks aren't anywhere. It was a good dream. Still a good machine though.
 
wow this is revolutionary. I am so doing this if it can be a little more confirmed. I'm going to use this powerbook forever :)

EDIT: It doesn't seem those ram sticks exist anywhere.
 
OrangeSVTguy said:
Well that imac used 2x 1gb sticks since it had 2 slots. The Powerbook only has one memory slot so I don't think they made too many 2gb sticks of DDR memory.
Click to expand...

I've seen a couple of "concept" or "pre-production" sticks of 2GB DDR2 on ebay. They are pretty rare, and I think one company made them for a couple months. I bought one off of amazon,it even shipped from china, and it worked in my 12" PowerBook.(However it didn't even have an picture on the item page and now I can't find it) It however was chinese branded, and I got it directly shipped from china. It also however was not "really" 2GB. More around 1.7GB.
Don't spend your life looking for a 2GB stick, however if you come across one, buy it!

This makes me wonder if you could put 2x2GB in a 15" or 17" PowerBook G4
 
mgartner0622 said:
I've seen a couple of "concept" or "pre-production" sticks of 2GB DDR2 on ebay. They are pretty rare, and I think one company made them for a couple months. I bought one off of amazon,it even shipped from china, and it worked in my 12" PowerBook.
Click to expand...

It's so difficult to search for single 2gb sticks on ebay, all I ever get is "2 x 1gb." Is there any way for you to look back and find the name of the company that made the ram you got? Might be easier to search for the company.
 
headset said:
It's so difficult to search for single 2gb sticks on ebay, all I ever get is "2 x 1gb." Is there any way for you to look back and find the name of the company that made the ram you got? Might be easier to search for the company.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but it's in chinese!
No discernable brand names.
Also, I'd put in a price range of say over $40 when looking on ebay.
That might help.
 
Hey mgartner0622

Hey mgartner0622,

Any chance you could take a photo of the chip and send it to me/upload it?

Any chance you want to sell your chip?

Cheers Chris.
 
2 gigs?

Any updates on the 2gb's in the powerbook or is this a whole bunch of shenanigans? I just got a 1.33 12incher off ebay to use as my "netbook" for b-school at nights. (it'll do for now)
 
mgartner0622 said:
I've seen a couple of "concept" or "pre-production" sticks of 2GB DDR2 on ebay. I bought one off of amazon,it even shipped from china, and it worked in my 12" PowerBook.(However it didn't even have an picture on the item page and now I can't find it)
Click to expand...

Are you sure it's DDR2 not DDR? I'm asking, because there's no physical possibility to fit DDR2 stick in DDR slot (PB 12 has DDR slot). Their notches are in different places (about 2 mm difference).
 
666sheep said:
Are you sure it's DDR2 not DDR? I'm asking, because there's no physical possibility to fit DDR2 stick in DDR slot (PB 12 has DDR slot). Their notches are in different places (about 2 mm difference).
Click to expand...
Pretty sure he means DDR sticks. DDR2 2GB sticks are not rare by any means.
 
Arrrg! I can't have the coolest PB 12 ever unless I can find a 2GB PC2700 sodimm. Anyone know where to look?
 
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